Sorting Through the Chaos: Week 9 SEC Power Rankings

After another wild weekend of SEC football, it’s safe to say that chaos has officially taken up residence in the conference standings — and our rankings reflect it. As always, our Week 9 SEC Power Rankings come from the combined ballots of Caleb, Craig, and Matt, with each of us submitting our own 1–16 list. Teams earn points based on where they’re placed in each poll, and the totals determine the composite rankings you’ll find below.

Before we dive in, there’s one thing we can all agree on — literally one. Georgia at No. 3. That’s our only unanimous ranking this week. Beyond that, things get murky. We don’t even have a true No. 16 because Arkansas and Kentucky are tied at the bottom, neck-and-neck in a desperate fight to avoid falling completely into the SEC abyss. From there, the variations begin. Some teams, like Alabama, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma, ended up clustered closely together across all three ballots, showing that there’s at least some consensus forming near the top. But in the middle of the pack — where programs like Vanderbilt, Missouri, and LSU continue to fluctuate week to week — the disagreements are more pronounced.

Meanwhile, Vanderbilt’s steady climb, Ole Miss’ slide, and Oklahoma’s surge into the top five continue to define how quickly things can change in this new-look SEC.

So buckle up and scroll down — the full rankings are below, along with where each of us placed every team. Whether you agree or not (and we know you won’t), Week 9 gave us plenty to argue about and even more to look forward to.

2025 Heartland Sports SEC Power Rankings – Week 8

Ranking	Points
1. Texas A&M	47
2. Alabama	46
3. Georgia	42
4. Texas	37
5. Ole Miss	35
6. Oklahoma	34
7. Vanderbilt	32
8. Missouri	25
9. Tennessee	24
10. LSU	23
11. Auburn	15
12. Florida	14
13. Mississippi State	13
14. South Carolina	11
15. Arkansas	5
15. Kentucky	5

Comparing Week 8 to Week 9

A week can make a big difference in the SEC — and that’s exactly what we saw between Week 8 and Week 9 of the Heartland Sports Power Rankings. The most noticeable shake-up comes near the top, where Alabama surged from No. 3 to No. 2 after a convincing win over Tennessee, closing the gap on still-undefeated Texas A&M, which held firm at No. 1. Meanwhile, Ole Miss slipped from second to fifth following a shootout loss to Georgia, while the Bulldogs themselves climbed one spot to a unanimous No. 3 after showing signs that they’re rounding into championship form. Texas and Oklahoma each moved up a notch as well, both benefiting from the Rebels’ fall.

In the middle of the pack, Vanderbilt continues to be one of the most intriguing risers, leaping from No. 10 to No. 7 and showing that their improvement under Clark Lea is more than just a fluke. Missouri and Tennessee essentially traded places at Nos. 8 and 9, while LSU dipped slightly despite holding steady in overall performance. At the bottom, the most notable development is a dead heat — Arkansas and Kentucky are tied at No. 15, as both continue to struggle to find footing in conference play. Elsewhere, Florida managed to hang on just ahead of Mississippi State, a decision that might raise a few eyebrows given the recent firing of Billy Napier. All told, Week 9 brought movement across nearly every tier of the conference, tightening the margins in a league where every Saturday feels like a reset button.

Individual Ballots

Caleb 

1. Texas A&M | The Aggies continue to win, but after this week you gotta question their defense a little. However, with Marcel Reed playing the way he is I’m not sure that will matter much.

2. Alabama | The Tide rolled Tennessee. After a shocking loss early, Alabama has bounced back in a big way and has been unstoppable in SEC play.

3. Georgia | Gunner Stockton looked really good against Ole Miss. Throwing for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns. If he can find a way to play like this week in and week out, Georgia will be in a good spot to play for a SEC title again.

4. Texas

5. Oklahoma

6. Ole Miss

7. Vanderbilt

8. Missouri

9. Tennessee

10. LSU

11. Aubrun

12. Florida

13. Mississippi State

14. South Carolina 

15. Arkansas | The Hogs just cant find a way to win. They lost their 3rd conference game by less than a touchdown. Not sure what it will take to get this team over that hump.

16. Kentucky | The Wildcats always have a weird 16-13 game where they should have won, and this season it was Texas. Bad play-calling in OT lead to the loss.

Craig

1. Texas A&M | The Aggies inherited the top spot in my rankings. But, I don’t know if that’s where you want to be. For the last three weeks my number one team has lost. Tough one on the road this week for A&M as they take a trip to Baton Rouge. 

2. Alabama | Alabama absolutely throttled Tennessee. They’ve managed to go 4-0 through the toughest part of their schedule. The Tide now controls its own destiny. 

3. Georgia | The Bulldogs got into a shootout with Ole Miss and came out on top at the end. It looks like Georgia might be hitting their stride at the perfect time. 

4. Ole Miss 

5. Vanderbilt 

6. Texas 

7. Oklahoma 

8. Tennessee 

9. Missouri 

10. LSU 

11. South Carolina 

12. Auburn 

13. Florida 

14. Mississippi State 

15. Arkansas | A very solid performance this past week against Texas A&M. But, the losing streak extends to five. 

16. Kentucky | The Wildcats took Texas to overtime but just couldn’t get the job done. That’s three losses in a row now. 

Matt 

1. Alabama | The Tide reclaimed their top spot, in my rankings, with a decisive 37–20 win over Tennessee. Ty Simpson and the offense found balance while the defense kept the Vols from sustaining drives. Alabama now has the best combination of résumé, talent, and consistency in the SEC.

2. Texas A&M | The Aggies won — but barely. Their 45–42 shootout at Arkansas exposed some defensive cracks, particularly against the run and on late-down containment. Still undefeated, but the gap between them and Alabama has tightened considerably.

3. Georgia | Georgia’s 43–35 victory over Ole Miss was as entertaining as it was validating. Gunner Stockton delivered four touchdown passes, and the Bulldogs showed they could respond under pressure. The Dawgs are rounding into familiar form and remain a Playoff threat.

4. Texas

5. Oklahoma

6. Ole Miss

7. Vanderbilt 

8. LSU 

9. Missouri 

10. Tennessee 

11. Mississippi State 

12. Florida 

13. Auburn 

14. Kentucky 

15. South Carolina | The Gamecocks looked lifeless in a 26–7 home loss to Oklahoma. Shane Beamer’s squad is struggling on both lines of scrimmage and lacks the consistency to compete week-to-week.

16. Arkansas | The Razorbacks nearly pulled the upset over Texas A&M but fell short, 45–42. Effort isn’t the issue; finishing is. They stay last until they prove they can close out games.

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